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Case Studies - online
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Case Studies - downloadable
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Case Study 1:
The Chantry Chapel and Royal Latin School in Buckingham.
 In 1994, I discovered that the history of the Royal Latin School (RLS) had never been properly researched, although there were numerous 'mentions' by local historians. Browne Willis was the first to sketch its history in 1755 and then almost nothing is written until the Victoria County History in the early 20th century. It was known that the RLS had occupied |
 the oldest building in Buckingham - the Old Chantry Chapel of St John the Baptist and St Thomas of Acon - 'since time immemorial', but the origins of the building and the school were somewhat obscure. I spent much of my spare time over the next 6 years researching, locating the original documents.
The Seal of St Thomas of Acon. |
| Examples of Documents |
The letter form Edward I to the Sheriff of Buckingham, dated 1289/90 (PRO, C145/14) - an Inquistion ad quod damnum. |
 Barton Chantry Certificate of Thornton school dated 1547 (PRO, E301/5) |
 Matthew Stratton Chantry Certificate at Buckingham (PRO, E301/4) |
The Book
The history of the Chantry Chapel and the RLS has now been published and includes:
- the origin of the school building was a new Hospital in c1190
- the hospital was dedicated and run by the Knights Hospitallers
- St Rumwold, the Braoses and a medieval hermit are connected to the hospital
- then it came to Matthew Stratton, Archdeacon of Buckingham
- Stratton's chantry priest was a Knight of St Thomas of Acon who started the school sometime between 1268 and 1423
- John Ruding's restoration and decoration of the school
- three Archbishops of Canterbury are indirectly connected with the school
- as are Dick Whittington, the Mercers, and Samuel Pepys
- the merger of Thornton Grammar school with the Buckingham chantry school
- the Dentons of Hillsden rebuilt the masters house after the Buckingham fire
- the legend that Isabel Denton was the founder of the school, is exposed
- the merger of several charities, including Gabriel Newton's with the RLS
- the Queen Mother opened the new school buildings in 1963
- the biographies of the 42 known RLS headteachers since 1553
- photographs of the documentary evidence, school photos from c1870, lists of boys and teachers known to have been at the school.
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If you would like to purchase the book please click here.
For each book sold a contribution will be made to the school. |
 Rudings Decorations c1475. The Head of John the Baptist. |
School Photos |
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| The Royal Latin School. |
| Top Left |
c1871 |
| Top Right |
c1874 |
| Middle Left |
c1885 |
| Middle Right |
c1887 |
| Bottom Left |
c1891 |
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Case Study 2:
Lacon Hall, nr Fountains Abbey, N.Yorkshire.
 In 1979 I was living at Lacon Hall, a timber framed, stone clad farmhouse with mullion windows, inglenook fireplaces, etc. In a nearby barn were the remains of a timber porch with the carved initials 'W 1655 L'. Near the house is a stream that appears to run through the remains of medieval fishponds. As Fountains Abbey is only a couple of miles away, and as remnants of a silver prayer amulet was found in the grounds of Lacon Hall, it could be construed that the house was originally the site of a Cistercian grange. About 200 yards from the house, in an isolated spot in a field well outside the village is a stone monument which looks like the remains of a market cross, and is known locally as the Gibbet Stone in Gibbet field.
There is a local legend that long ago, a young couple secretly met in Hebden Wood, and screams were heard. Later the body of a woman was found murdered, she had been dismembered and had been pregnant with twins. Years passed and then, in another country, a man walked into a bar and made a toast to 'the ewe and the two lambs which lay in Hebden Wood Bank'. By coincidence some men at the bar had heard of the murder and reported the matter to the authorities. He was arrested and tried, and his punishment was to be chained to a Gibbet stone near the site of his crime, until he starved to death. Nearby is a dwelling called 'Careless House'. One story states that the inhabitants heard the screams of the victim and did nothing, another says that when a horse drawn carriage crashed at the bottom of a steep track nearby, the injured cried for help, and the inhabitants ignored them.
No one in the locality knew anything of the history of Lacon Hall, earlier than the 1940's. After conducting much original research, I discovered that:
- the Lacon family had moved to Yorkshire from Shropshire in the early 17th century
- there were several medieval Lacon Halls near Wem in Shropshire
- this Lacon Hall in Yorkshire dates from c1615
- William Lacon was the first Lacon to have lived on the site, called Stonie Ing in 1649, when he was a Royalist officer under the Earl of Newcastle.
- William built the porch at Stonie Ing in 1655
- William moved to Dacre in 1668 and leased out Stonie Ing; he had 7 hearths in 1672
- William died in 1690, and the inventory of his house still survives
- the site was called Stonearth Ings in 1723, and Stoney Garth farm in 1742
- in 1772 Laycon Hall was purchased by Sir Thomas Frankland, Admiral of the White Fleet
- in 1787 it was entrusted to the Right Hon. Lord Grantley, of Grantley Hall
- in 1937, Sir William Ackroyd of Grantley Hall sold it to Sir John Barran
The more recent owners have been omitted, for reasons of confidentiality. This research was conducted 20 years ago, and although I have references to all the above, it needs to rechecked in the light of modern day. I never did find any details about the murder.
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